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December 2, 2008 7:20:42 AM CST



Late-Night Laughs track this thread

Started by H Needles; Last updated by D Lim | View history

Late-Night Laughs

"I had no idea this thing was televised. Boy, is my face red." -David Letterman

The nation's late-night comedy titans returned to air Jan. 2 after a two-month hiatus because of the writer's strike.  Though Writers Guild rules prohibit the hosts from using scripted monologues, sketches, or fictional characters,   Letterman returned with his writers after securing an independent deal.

Stories

Stories 21 - 40 of 69

  • October 2008
    • Mac, Dave to Make Up

      Mac, Dave to Make Up

      (Newser) - David Letterman's favorite whipping boy may return to the show next week in a move to make the peace, reports the New York Post. John McCain is in talks for his Late Show redemption on Oct. 15, ending a feud that's dogged the candidate since he ditched Dave for Katie Couric two weeks ago. More »

    • Top 10 Things 'Overheard at Palin Debate Camp'

      Top 10 Things 'Overheard at Palin Debate Camp'

      (Newser) - David Letterman was not kind to the Republican vice presidential candidate last night—his Top 10 list  focused on "Things Overheard at Sarah Palin Debate Camp." Among the highlights: "Any way we can just get Tina Fey to do it?" "Maybe we'll get lucky and there won't be any questions about Iraq, taxes or health care." "Let's practice your bewildered silence." Watch the full list or click the link below. More »

  • September 2008
    • Diss Letterman at Your Peril

      Diss Letterman at Your Peril

      (Newser) - John McCain is playing with fire if he thinks he can stand up David Letterman and get away with it. "The middle-of-the-road personalities who've dominated network television since its inception do retain one singular power," Gawker Media head honcho Nick Denton, writing for his flagship blog, warns the wayward candidate. "When they finally get off the fence, the mass of similar-minded voters take notice." More »

    • 'Ugly Date' Letterman Skewers McCain Again

      'Ugly Date' Letterman Skewers McCain Again

      (Newser) - The David Letterman-John McCain feud continued last night on the Late Show as the host kept hammering the candidate for standing him up, reports the Los Angeles Times . Letterman, whose guests included Paris Hilton—"McCain's first choice as running mate"—said he felt like an "ugly date" after McCain cancelled on him Wednesday, pleading that he had to rush to Washington—then did an interview with Katie Couric and spent the night in New York. More »

    • Letterman Lambasts AWOL McCain

      Letterman Lambasts AWOL McCain

      (Newser) - John McCain was scorched by the full fury of a Letterman scorned after blowing off last night's Late Show an hour before taping, the New York Daily News reports. "This just doesn't smell right. This is not the way a tested hero behaves," Letterman raged. "Somebody's putting something in his Metamucil." McCain told Letterman he was rushing back to Washington, but in fact was still in town, preparing for an interview with Katie Couric. More »

    • Franken Hatched Mac-Mocking SNL Skit

      Franken Hatched Mac-Mocking SNL Skit

      (Newser) - Former Saturday Night Live scribe and current Minnesota Democratic Senate hopeful Al Franken hatched the idea for last night’s sketch mocking John McCain—raising tough political questions for the program and NBC, Politico reports. Critics raised concerns about the propriety of a politician playing a role in an attack on a candidate from the rival party. Franken's involvement may also fuel claims that NBC has a liberal bias, Politico notes. More »

    • Feminist Fey Skewers Palin as Only a Woman Can

      Feminist Fey Skewers Palin as Only a Woman Can

      (Newser) - Sarah Palin has made John McCain into a punchline, and there’s been no shortage of late-night comedians pointing that out. Unfortunately, they’ve almost all been male. Thank goodness, then, for Tina Fey, Simon Houpt writes in the Globe and Mail . It took Fey, a dead ringer for Palin, to “tackle the jaw dropping jujitsu” of the Republican Party’s feminist turn. More »

    • Letterman Perplexed by NBC's Move to Ditch Leno

      Letterman Perplexed by NBC's Move to Ditch Leno

      (Newser) - David Letterman isn't planning to head off into the sunset when his Late Night contract expires in 2010, the New York Times reports, telling a Rolling Stone interviewer that he would love to keep going at CBS—and that he was confused by NBC's decision to put longtime rival Jay Leno out to pasture next year. "I don’t know why, after the job Jay has done for them, why they would relinquish that,” said the 26-year veteran. More »

  • August 2008
    • Leno Could Doom Nightline with ABC Move

      Leno Could Doom Nightline with ABC Move

      (Newser) - These should be banner days for ABC’s Nightline , John Edwards’ confessional outlet of choice. Instead, staffers fear Jay Leno's departure from NBC will wind up costing them their jobs, the LA Times reports. ABC appears to be Leno's most likely destination after he retires next year, which would likely spell the doom of the 29-year-old news magazine. More »

  • July 2008
    • Leno Bowing Out in May

      Leno Bowing Out in May

      (Newser) - Jay Leno's last appearance as host of the Tonight Show will be the final Friday in May, reports Broadcasting & Cable . Conan O'Brien will take over the following Monday. In the several months between O'Brien's leaving Late Night and his Tonight Show debut, NBC plans a huge promotional campaign to keep his profile high. More »

    • SNL Expands Election Coverage

      SNL Expands Election Coverage

      (Newser) - Saturday Night Live is expanding its satirical coverage of Election 2008, reports Zap2it. NBC will air three SNL primetime campaign specials, plus four consecutive Saturday night shows beginning in September, boosting the number of pre-election live shows to seven. The program will also feature the traditional election eve special " SNL Presidential Bash." More »

    • Fallon to Launch Late Night Online

      Fallon to Launch Late Night Online

      (Newser) - Jimmy Fallon is launching his career as host of NBC's Late Night on the Internet, reports the New York Times . Late Night producer Lorne Michaels will produce 10-minute segments with Fallon for an online audience months before he takes over on TV from Conan O'Brien, who's set to replace Jay Leno on the Tonight Show . More »

    • Late-Night Takes it Easy on Obama

      Late-Night Takes it Easy on Obama

      (Newser) - John McCain has been skewered by late-night comics throughout the presidential campaign, but Barack Obama has escaped relatively unscathed. As this week's New Yorker cover flare-up made clear, satirists are struggling to find an angle on the Democratic nominee. The New York Times speaks to half a dozen late-night hosts and writers, who cite everything from fear of racism to their own favoritism to explain the silence. More »

    • Kimmel, Silverman Split Up

      Kimmel, Silverman Split Up

      (Newser) - After 5 years together, Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman have broken up, reps for the newly minted ex-couple confirmed to Vanity Fair today. "Jimmy and Sarah have and will have no further comment," said a joint statement. Confessions of involvement with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck apparently didn't lead to the split of the talk-show host and actress. More »

  • June 2008
    • Where Will Jay Go After Tonight ?

      Where Will Jay Go After Tonight ?

      (Newser) - Jay Leno might be losing his beloved "Tonight Show," writes the Hollywood Reporter , but the host still has a ratings punch and an enviable set of options (in decreasing order of probability): Take ABC’s 11:30pm-12:30am slot, displacing Nightline and Jimmy Kimmel Live and competing with Letterman and O’Brien. Launch a show on Fox at 11 or 11:30pm—Fox doesn’t currently run late-night shows, but could use Leno’s brand to push into the new territory. Sony Pictures TV puts Leno’s Tonight Show into syndication, which could eventually lead to another late-night gig. More »